Saints’ incentive to win replay

Mar 15 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

DUNDEE United or Motherwell will stand between Saints and their first ever Scottish Cup final appearance – if the Perth club can overcome Brechin City in their Scottish Cup quarter-final replay next Tuesday in Perth.

The draw was made at the sportscotland Inverclyde National Sports Training Centre in Largs.

Next Tuesday’s Brechin replay will be covered live by Sky Sports and prices had already been reduced after an agreement by both club chairman at the weekend. It starts at 7.45pm.

It will add up to a bumper £82,000 cheque for each of the rival clubs.

Saints manager Derek McInnes, who was running the rule over striker Jordan Robertson in a closed doors game yesterday, said: “Obviously I played with United and played alongside Motherwell boss Stuart McCall in my time with Rangers. It can be nice to know what awaits you if you get through but it would be dangerous to look too far ahead.

“It certainly won’t detract from our focus on the Brechin game when it comes around. It’s nice to be in the semi-final draw, although ideally we would be safe and secure already in the last four. There is still work to be done to get there. We know what is required to progress in the competition.”

The semi-finals are scheduled for April 16 and 17, with St Mirren or Aberdeen facing Inverness Caley or Celtic in the other tie.

McInnes is taking a look at centre forward Robertson (23), who was training with Dundee United recently after a jail term imposed for a road traffic death crash. When he was with Sheffield United he played 14 games for United on loan. Robertson was jailed for 32 months on a dangerous driving charge and is trying to rebuild his career.

Saints have been linked with a move for former full-back Callum Davidson, who has been released by Preston. The Dunblane-based veteran, now 34, left for Blackburn in a record £2 million deal. But the media conjecture over a return to Saints has been played down by the Perth club.

Brechin manager Jim Weir said: “I’m thrilled for both clubs that the replay is to be screened live. I wasn’t alone in thinking we were unfortunate it wasn’t one of the original ties to be covered live.

“This gives us a chance to show what we can do in the replay. I’m sure it will inspire my players.

“If Stevie Reynolds had put away a chance near the end it could have cost us a fortune!

“It’s a great boost for the club but we are still outsiders and we will need to up our game again to progress further.”